Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

in a great measure its teftimony to the truth of Christianity. The Evangelifts did not fee one another's Gofpels.

CHA P. XI.

If it be allowed, that St. Mark did epitomize St. Matthew, it will not follow that our prefent copies of St. Matthew are misplaced, and contrary to the order originally intended by the Evangelift.

CHAP. XII.

The particular branches of St. Matthew's Gospel, which Mr. Whifton fuppofes misplaced. Four propofitions for the difcovering the true order of time in the Gospel-history. Several of those branches, which Mr. Whifton fuppofes mifplaced, are fo far from that, that they are in the exact order of time, in which they came to pass. Inftances of this pro

duced.

CHA P. XIII.

None of thofe branches, which are not according to the order of time, in this part of St. Matthew's Gofpel, are misplaced. This evidenced by confidering feveral of them.

[blocks in formation]

Mr. Whifton's method of accounting for the diforder he fuppofes in this part of St. Matthew's Gospel, viz. that St. Matthew wrote it on small pieces of paper; that these were confusedly put together by thofe, who did not perfectly understand the true series of the hiftory. Mr. Toinard of the jame opinion. The improbability of it, propofed to be

Shewn

Shewn from the antient way of writing. The moft antient methods confidered.

CHAP. XV.

That St. Matthew did not write his Gospel on fmall pieces of paper, proved by a large differtation on the manner, in which the antients wrote their books. The ordinary method was to write upon large skins, which were faftened together, and rolled up. This the practice of the Jews long before, and in our Saviour's time. The words opened and closed the book, Luke iv. 17, 20, difcuffed. The words, bring the parchments, 2 Tim. iv. 13. confidered. It does not appear that the Jews made use of paper, or any other material befides that mentioned, to write their books upon.

CHA P. XVI.

Mr. Whifton's frange fuppofition, of St. Matthew's writing this part of his Gospel on fmall pieces of paper, confuted from the confideration of their number and unequal fize. A table of them, by which it appears, that they were at least twenty in number, of very different fixes. Some contained feveral chapters, others but a few verfes, others but one verfe. The improbability of St. Matthew's writing thus. The fixe of the parchment rolls, on which the Jews

wrote.

CHA P. XVII.

Mr. Whifton's obfervation, that our present Greek copies of this Gofpel, are a tranflation out of Hebrew, and for that reafon more liable to the dif

order

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

order which he fuppofes, confidered. St. Matthew did not write his Gospel in Hebrew, though it is afferted by all the Fathers. The Fathers have frequently (one after another) fallen into the fame miftake in matters of fact. How they came to fall into this mistake, viz. by taking the Gospel of the Nazarenes and Ebionites for the true authentick Gospel of St. Matthew. The Fathers were under a fort of neceffity of believing this mistake.

CHA P. XVIII.

The Fathers fell into the mistake, that St. Matthew wrote in Hebrew, becaufe none of them, except Origen, Jerome, and Epiphanius, underflood that language. They were upon that account unable to compare the Gospel of the Nazarenes with their own Gresk copies, and difcover its Spurioufness. This confirmed by a remark, that none of the Fathers, who affert St. Matthew wrote in Hebrew, have cited the Gospel of the Nazarenes, except the three mentioned, who underftood that language. The reafons affigned, why they (Epiphanius, Jerome, and Origen) fell into the fame mistake. Papias, the firft Chriftian writer who afferts this, was a very fabulous and credulous perfon; yet was followed by many of the Fathers in his mistakes (as Eufebius obferves) by reafon of his antiquity. His teftimony in this matter, proved by one part of it to be falfe.

CHA P. XIX.

Several arguments by which it appears probable, that St. Matthew did not write his Gospel in Hebrew.

The

« ПредишнаНапред »